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JETS GAMEDAY: Five keys to Jets vs. Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) has five points in three games since coming back from a three-game injury absence. Meanwhile linemate Jake Guentzel (59) is coming off a hat-trick against Columbus.Photo: Gene J. Puskar

Paul Friesen

Published: November 27, 2018 - 12:03 AM

Winnipeg Jets vs Pittsburgh Penguins

7 p.m., BellMTS Place. TV: TSN-3. Radio: TSN 1290

THE BIG MATCHUP

Patrik Laine vs Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith

With Matt Murray injured, the Penguins are vulnerable in goal, which you don’t want to be when Laine is on a roll. Whether it’s DeSmith or Tristan Jarry, they’ll have to be aware of the hottest scorer the NHL has seen in years. Laine is coming off a five-goal game, an 11-goal week, and is feeling it. But he has just one goal in four career games against Pittsburgh.

5 keys to the game

Containing Sid and Co.

Sidney Crosby has five points in three games since coming back from a three-game injury absence. More impressively, he has nine goals and 10 assists in his last 13 games. If the Jets can put a clamp on the Penguins captain and his linemates – Jake Guentzel is coming off a hat-trick against Columbus – they’ve got a great chance to win. If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, Crosby wouldn’t have had so many merry Christmases.

Home, sweet home

The Jets haven’t lost back-to-back home games since last February, but are coming off a 2-1 shootout defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres, Nov. 16. The Jets are 8-2-2 at home this season, still one of the best marks in the NHL, while the Penguins are 4-3-3 on the road.

Holding a lead

The Jets have already lost two games when leading after two periods, tied for the most in the NHL. Three times, they’ve lost games when leading after 20 minutes, the most in the league. It’s one of the areas of concern glossed over in the scoring exploits of Laine, but you can bet the coaches aren’t letting it go unnoticed.

Discipline, already

With Crosby and Evgeni Malkin leading the way, the Pens have a pretty effective power play. So the Jets would be wise to begin curtailing their trips to the penalty box. Winnipeg still ranks first (or should that be last?) in the league with nearly 13 penalty minutes per game.

Whose turn tonight?

Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler have combined for just two points in their last two games, which is by no means a slump. But Laine and Kyle Connor will cool off, eventually, leaving some slack for the top line to pick up again. Nobody would complain if bottom-six centres Jack Roslovic (six games without scoring) or Adam Lowry (14) would pick some up, too.